Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-06-03
IS 1T A MURDER q?
a WeIl-KnOwn Jnmaicn Man Shoots
his wife with a Rifle.

The Jamaica community is greatly ex-
cited over strange shooting affair which
occurred there on Wednesday morning.
Reyillo Howard, a well known farmer.
stock-huyer and Spectator, aged 80 or -
years, has been sick and confined to his
house with nervous trouble all winter.
Much of the time he has been depressed
and hypochondriacal He has apparently
had partial paralysis which interfered
with the use Of his legs He is a man of
means, worth 10000 or SIP, 900, and hi,
affairs are in good shape, but he has never
theless been greatly troubled in mind about
his property, and every now and then has
concluded that he should not live long His
nervous trouble, he says, arises from "a spi
nal injury received from falling tree sew
eral years ago. His residence is on the hill
above the railroad station, half mile from
the village
Last Monday he was taken much worse,
apparently, and sent for LAWYER Wulcutt,
who was III town on "A visit, u come and
make his will During the day his brother
II. II. Howard, of New York was sum
moned by telegraph to come on, which he
did next day When Tuesday night came
Mr.. Howard's friends thought it was better
night, and 1t WAS arranged with his con
sunt. 1t is said, that the brother should 70
ON Ia So Londonderry with j. l.. Howard
a half brother, who lives in the last-named
place, without stopping at Jamaica. After
the train had gone Mr. Howard began to
fret about this and to blame his wife for
the arrangement, with the result that he
became overweight and passed n slecpless
night
Next morning, though keeping his bed
Tor the most part, he was up and ate some
breakfast, and about 10 o'clock had his wife,
20 out and tell the hired man to hitch up
the team and drive to the village and see If
llr. Campbell had come the doctor having
been sent FOR from SaXton's River to come
up and consult with DR.. Ray ON Towards
case. When his wife returned Howard told
her that he had concluded not to send 10
the village and sent her back to tell the
hired man 50. When Mrs. Howard came
back the second time her husband met her
at the door with a rifle which he aimed at
her and fired. just as he fired she seized
the rifle by the muzzle with her left hand
and the bullet went through her hand at
the thumb Joint SCATTERING the joint and
| passing thence between the ribs on the left
SIZE through the lower part of the left lung
/ anu lodging under the shoulder blade The
bullet was tlattened and made ragged hv
| going through Mrs. Towards thumb Joint.
and the hole which il made in her side was
a large and ugly one She now lies in a
very critical condition. Dr. Ray, who was
called, found the bullet as stated DIR. Hol-
ton was sent for and went up Wednesday
evening ON the train and spent the night
IL appears that while Mrs Howard WIS
out OF the house Mr.. Howard went into the
] EltRlnn Il not H.. -
hind tile stove, and loaded it, The rifle is
n small one, known AS a pocket" rifle, with
a barrel 10 inches long and carrying a ~
calihre bullet Howard now claims that ho
has no recollection of the shooting. and
shows or appears to show. signs of iusnn-
ny, One OF two things is of course true.
EITHER the man is insane and therefore not
responsible, or his act was one of cold
blooded, premedituted murder Jamaica
public opinion is generally against Howard
and inclined to hold him responsible. Such
an act Is, however. contrary to ANYTHING
which he has before done or shown, He
has been man of good repute, except that
lie has made himself disliked by being over
sharp IN his specializing trades 1t is sup
posed that he and his wife have lived hap
ply together and that she has been of much
help to HIM in accommodating property.
A"Vl navy no Vill,iIeh' III Is probable that
some trouble or disagreement arose over
Towards proposed distribution of the prop
erty by his will, hut there is no evidence
that this was serious
This morning Mrs. Howard was reported
comfortable, though her recovery is hard
~ hoped Tor Mr., Howard had not been
put under arrest, owing TO his condition
ana the peculiar circumstances, but he vii
probably be arrested today
The Slfter's account of the shooting say,
that when the hired man came to Mrs
Towards rescue Mr. Howard also threat
ened him, bringing the gun to his shoulder
and pointing it at him, but he lodged through
a side door and coming up partially behint
INN disarmed him and sent him back t,
bed.